The Happy House
by Sybil Rowan
Summary: Aya is recruited as a Weiss assassin, but he’s not exactly sure why his new teammates seem so strange. They all seem too nice and too perfect. Their cover is a delicatessen. Bizarre things happen after each mission that Aya can’t account for. A locked fre
1. Chapter 1

The Happy House, part one

November 16, 2008

Summary: Aya is recruited as a Weiss assassin, but he's not exactly sure why his new teammates seem so strange. They all seem too nice and too perfect. Their cover is a delicatessen. Bizarre things happen after each mission that Aya can't account for. A locked freezer and elaborate meals also give him the creeps. Plus, he can't figure out what the 'House Special' is. His new teammates seem very, very, very offended at his new found vegetarian ways. Aya starts to wonder if his teammates are more sick and dangerous than the people they kill.

Warnings: PLEASE READ THIS WARNING! This story is flat out suspense centered on taboo subject matter. It's not terribly graphic until the end, more implied. My intention is to not offend anyone and I sincerely hope I don't. I've used Aya's background from the _Dramatic Precious_ radio drama and twisted it to fit this story along with some other things. By the way, I don't own _Weiss Kreuz_, I'm just borrowing it for recreation.

Note: There are also three alternative endings you can read at the bottom of the third part.

"You come highly recommended from Shion," the attractive redheaded woman said before sipping on her coffee. "We've been looking to recruit from the Crashers for a while."

"This is a good opportunity for me. It's less money, but you're willing to offer my sister protection from the Takatoris," Aya said.

"Not only that, but we have the same ultimate goal of taking down Reiji Takatori and his two sons. Shion said you have revenge burning in your heart. That'll keep you dedicated, but make sure you can keep focused. There are plenty of criminals out on the streets harming other young girls like your sister. If you feel you can be patient and focused, I'll take you to meet your new teammates," the woman said.

"I agree to your terms. I'm not getting any closer to the Takatoris by staying in the Crashers or with Shion. He's is only holding me back," Aya said.

"Good. By the way, you'll be expected to work undercover in a delicatessen. We've found it easier that way. You'll be partners with your other three teammates so you can share the profits from the business," the woman said.

"No problem. I can use the extra money for my sister's hospital bills," Aya said. The woman threw back her head and gave a gentle laugh.

"Shion said you weren't the type to turn up your nose at messy work. You'll be getting your hands dirty... a lot," she said. She checked her watch, placed some yen on their table, and stood up. "Well, lets get you settled."

Aya followed her out of the coffee shop and got into her car. He took a deep breath and let his mind drift as the redheaded woman drove them down the crowded Tokyo streets. He took a look out of the window when she parked the car in front of a bright delicatessen/café with flower boxes and tables out front. Aya noticed a lot of teen girls were out front sipping coffee or carrying packages home from the delicatessen.

He got out of the car and took his duffel bag out of the woman's trunk. He followed her through the door of the shop; a bell jingle as they entered. Aya noticed the place seemed at a lull; two young men and a teenaged boy looked over at them from a counter with sandwich fixings.

"Manx," the teenaged boy said, flashing a bright smile. "How about a sandwich?"

"No thank you, Omi. I just came to drop off your new co-worker. This is Aya Fujimiya. Aya, this is Omi Tskiyono, Ken Hidaka, and Youji Kudou. They'll take over from here," she said. "Goodbye, boys." They waved Manx out the door and turned to Aya.

"Nice to meet you, but I'm afraid I've got to run," the one named Ken said with a cheerful expression. Four boys ran into the shop as Ken tossed his stained apron aside. He grabbed a net bag filled with soccer balls and herded the children back out of the shop with gusty laughter.

"What was that about?" Aya asked after he walked over to the other two.

"Oh, he's a volunteer soccer coach for a local children's club," Omi explained.

"But doesn't he do the same after hours work I was hired to do?" Aya asked.

"Yeah, but it doesn't mean you have to stop living," Youji said, giving Aya a lopsided smile. "Speaking of which, I've got a hot date tonight. Don't wait up, boys!" Youji yanked off his apron and sauntered to the back of the store.

"Oh... now I'm stuck closing alone! Those worms," Omi groused.

"Just let me know what to do. I'll help out," Aya offered, placing his duffel bag behind the counter. Omi handed Aya an apron and gave him a relived expression.

"I'm so grateful for the help. I guess we can start training now. I need to get to my homework pretty soon," Omi said.

"So you still go to school?" Aya asked. Omi nodded with a bright smile as he showed Aya how to break down one of the meat slicers behind the display counter jammed full of a large selection of meat cuts. Each piece rested artfully on beds of lush, green leaves of lettuce.

Aya was disconcerted by the veneer he saw on his new teammates; they didn't act like assassins. They didn't even act like Crashers who didn't kill criminals, just framed them for jail. He made a mental note to watch for cracks in the veneer so he knew the type of people he was to live and kill with.

* * *

"Boy! This stake-out sucks," Ken said, lowering his binoculars and looking over at Aya. The redhead didn't answer. Aya continued to observe the man who worked out in a personal home gym.

The target was a wealthy drug dealer named Iro Fukuzawa. He paid tribute to the Takatoris in exchange for protection. Getting rid of this man would be a huge dent in the Takatoris's income. "He must weigh two-thirty. What do you think, Aya?"

"I don't know. Probably," Aya said, lowering his own binoculars.

"It's the muscles that increase the weight, you know. Not an ounce of fat on him, but look at the four body guards. Lazy and fat. Oh well... beggars can be choosers," Ken said. He let out a heavy sigh and looked through the binoculars again. Aya shot him an annoyed look.

This was the second mission he'd been on for Weiss. His opinion about his three teammates grew even more convoluted. He acknowledged the three of them were very skilled and methodical assassins, but little things kept nagging at the back of his mind.

His first mission had been with Youji. Everything went smoothly; they killed the three targets who were all local pimps. Youji seemed very satisfied until a fire broke out. It was all Youji and Aya could do to escape the fire, but Youji seemed extremely, and inexplicably, angry about the fire that consumed the small, seedy hotel along with the three pimps's corpses.

"Hey, Aya. We should close in on these targets tomorrow," Ken said, disturbing Aya's musings.

"Yeah, good idea," Aya said. He followed Ken back down the street to his car. He let Ken in and got behind the steering wheel.

"So that one target is at two-thirty and four body guards at about two-ninety to three-sixty a piece. It's going to be a lot of work, but very satisfying," Ken said.

"You find this satisfying," Aya asked, giving him a scrutinizing

"Yeah! Satisfying to see scum like that meet some justice! Don't get me wrong. I hate killing, but it's the only way to protect innocent people," Ken said, furrowing his brow. Slowly, Ken's intense expression melted into a sly smile. "Besides, this job's perk is certainly worth the trouble."

"Perk?" Aya asked. Ken let out another huge sigh and turned to look out the passenger's side window with no answer.

* * *

"I better go downstairs. I have some work to do down in the small freezer," Omi said after Aya and Ken made their report. Their plan was to take out the drug dealer and his body guards the following evening. Omi took out a key from under his sweat shirt. It dangled from a thick chain around Omi's neck.

"I'll help if you want. Looks like you're still doing homework," Aya offered.

"No!" Omi and Ken shouted at once.

"I mean... no thank you, Aya. It's not a big deal. Just something I forgot to do after school. Besides, Youji is down there to help out. You and Ken rest up for tomorrow's mission," Omi blurted out.

Omi jumped up from his homework and jogged back downstairs to the closed delicatessen. Aya watched Ken flop on the sofa. The former J-leaguer grabbed a remote control and turned the television to a soccer match.

Aya slowly moved to the stairway when he felt certain Ken's eyes were riveted to the screen. He quietly took a step down when Ken said, "I wouldn't go down there. Omi doesn't like people hanging over his shoulder while he works."

Aya swirled and went to his bedroom. He slammed the door and sunk to the floor in his darken room. Why had his stomach been in a constant knot since he joined Weiss? There was no reason Aya could discern to be so apprehensive.

Omi was a high school student, responsible and kind. Youji was a laid back ex-detective with a fondness for alcohol and women. As far as Ken went, he was a sports addict who spent his spare time volunteering to help out children. No matter how hard Aya looked that was all he could see of his new teammates. There was more depth to each of them, but for some reason they refused to let Aya get beyond the veneer.

* * *

"Good job," Aya said, looking around the personal home gym of their target. The five bodies laid dying with gapping wounds to their throats. Ken shook his bagnucks and retracted them. There was a glazed over, euphoric gleam in the ex-soccer player's chocolate colored eyes; Aya realized that Ken wasn't even seeing him at all. Ken took off his left glove, wiped it across his blood spattered cheek, and licked his lips. "Siberian!"

"Hun? Abyssinian? Oh... yeah. We better get out of here," Ken said, coming back down. Aya swirled as the door creaked open again. He held back his katana when he saw Youji and Omi both dressed in their typical assassination clothing.

"What are you two doing here?" Aya snapped.

"Kritiker clean up," Youji answered, looking around at the dying men. "Wow! You weren't kidding about the fat on these, Siberian. See you got them all by the throats."

"Of course. I'm not sloppy," Ken said, jamming on his left glove. Aya shivered at Ken's soft, innocent smile behind the bloodstained face.

"Clean up?" Aya asked.

"There are rules we follow for our safety," Omi said. "Don't worry about it right now, but we'll explain everything soon. Siberian, take him for some dinner."

"Great! I'm staving," Ken said. He tugged Aya's sleeve and lead him out of the bloody personal home gym. "How about Chinese?"

"You can eat after that?" Aya asked with a crinkled nose.

"Yeah! It really gets my appetite going. Omi's the worst though! Last time he packed away a whole pork roast by himself afterwards. Doesn't it do the same for you?" Ken asked. Aya shook his head, yanked his arm away, and followed the ex-soccer player outside.

"You three don't eat like typical Japanese," Aya mumbled. "I haven't seen any seafood at the apartment in the last two weeks I've been living there. The three of you eat huge amounts of food as well."

"No, we don't care for seafood. After working so long at the delicatessen, you just get a taste for meat," Ken said. "Don't worry. You'll get a taste for it too and not give another thought to seafood. I have a feeling you'll fit right in with us after a while."

* * *

Aya was weary; Ken kept him out until four-thirty in the morning. Aya had stayed in the car while Ken cleaned up and then brought out several cartons of Chinese food from a small run-down restaurant. By the time they got to the apartment, Youji and Omi were not to be seen.

Aya was too tired to care. He went to his room and collapsed on his stiff bed, belly first. He was still dressed in his full, dark plum duster covered in bloodstains. He let his sheathed katana slip from his fingertips and drop to the floor with a thud. Soft footsteps and whispering outside his bedroom door startled him awake again.

"That Aya just doesn't have much of an appetite. I'm kind of worried about him fitting in with us," Ken whispered barely loud enough for Aya understand.

"I didn't have much of an appetite either when I first got here, but I grew to love it. Give him time. He hasn't had his first taste," Youji whispered back. "It's not like any of us were raised in this like Omi."

Aya's face soured; he had pulled his weight and killed those targets with no problem. Why was Ken criticizing him? Youji said, "Hey, I remember your first time, Ken. Omi and I tricked you into doing it. Remember?"

Aya's brow crinkled when he heard a deep groan from Ken and a slight snicker from Youji. Ken murmured, "Yeah, it makes me hungry all over again. Darn Omi for giving me this hunger."

"I've got some leftovers in refrigerator. How about a little snack? Just the two of us? Omi's dead asleep and doesn't have to know," Youji whispered.

"Now you're talking," Ken whispered back. Aya heard them plod down the hallway right before Aya let himself drift into unconsciousness. The last question on his mind is why Youji and Omi would have to trick Ken into killing a target for assassination.

* * *

"I don't understand? A meat shipment? And we're closed?" Aya asked, taking his apron back off. "Won't you need me to help out?"

"Those are the rules. We're always closed the night after a mission. Omi, Ken and I will work on the incoming meat shipments until we can trust you to know your cuts of meat," Youji announced, leaning on the small door to the locked freezer. The tall blond smoked a cigarette and gave him a sullen look over his sunglasses.

Youji threw his arm around Aya's shoulders and lead him to the front of the shop. He said, "Listen... go visit your sister. Take the day and do something nice for yourself. Just don't come back before five tonight. Also, we have formal dinner debriefings after every successful mission. Persia and Manx will be joining us for dinner around seven. It's a coat and tie type of dinner. Okay?"

Aya just nodded as Youji gave him a lopsided smile and light, playful smack on the cheek. The blond assassin said, "Don't look so glum. It such a nice day. Go enjoy it. Pretty soon you'll be the one down stairs preparing the 'House Specials.' Here's five thousand yen. Go to the flower shop around the corner and buy your sister something nice on me."

Aya stared at the money pressed in his hand for half a minute and then he looked up into those dazzling emerald eyes. There was sympathy, but there was something like an ice underneath. All Aya found himself doing was nodding and running out of the shop as far and as fast as he could. He ran from Youji and the rest of his new life.

He froze at the entrance to the flower shop and wondered why Persia and Manx didn't come for a formal dinner debriefing after the mission he and Youji had together. Wasn't that a successful one? They killed the targets; what more could Persia expect? He shook his head vigorously and chose some colorful Gerber daisies for his sister.

* * *

A small knock at his bedroom door caused Aya to flinch up from tying his shoes. Ken slowly entered his room. Aya was taken aback. The ex-soccer play usually wore baggy clothing consisting of faded t-shirts and stained jeans, but tonight he wore formal black slacks and a matching dinner jacket. His under shirt was a dark burgundy color that was unbuttoned around his collar.

"Hey, Aya. I came to see if you're okay," Ken said. He walked over to Aya's bed and took a seat beside him. "You look cool."

"Thanks,"Aya snapped. He wore a black button-down shirt, gray slacks, and black shoes.

"This is going to be your first time. I remember how nervous I was, but don't worry. After we eat, you'll feel like a whole new person. This night will change you. Just remember to go with the flow. All of us are here for you. We really like you and can't wait for you to become a full member of Weiss. Tonight can be that night," Ken said with a deep flush to his cheeks. Aya bolted off his bed.

"I am a member of Weiss! I've proved myself," Aya snarled. Ken coyly smiled up at Aya before he stood.

"There is one other thing you have to do to be Weiss. Just do as I said. Relax. Enjoy our first formal dinner together and then it'll happen," Ken said. He walked out of Aya's bedroom with a curt wave. "Dinner in five minutes. Don't keep Persia waiting. He hates that."

Aya stood up and put on a slate gray jacket. He walked to the formal living room where Omi lit candles around a table while Youji uncorked a bottle of old, expensive wine.

"Hello, Aya! Did you have a nice visit with your sister?" Omi asked, giving Aya a bright smile.

"Yes, thank you for the time off. I felt bad leaving with so much work around here," Aya said. His nose crinkled; he looked towards the kitchen. Aya turned back to Omi and asked, "What's that smell? It's so strange."

"That's dinner. Ken's finishing up in there," Omi said. Aya jerked his arm back feeling something beside it. He relaxed when he saw Youji offer him a glass of wine. He took the glass in hopes of calming his nerves. A firm knock on the door prodded Aya to drain his glass. Youji quickly refilled it as Omi shouted, "Uncle Suiichi! Aunt Erica!"

Aya was surprised to hear Omi address Manx and Persia that way as he let them in. He watched Manx and Persia each hug Omi firmly. Youji gave Aya a gentle elbow.

"That Suiichi Takatori is one lucky man to snag such a hot wife, don't you think," Youji whispered.

"He's a Takatori?" Aya barley gasped out the question as a sudden surge of adrenaline hit his body.

"Woah. He's out to get the man who slaughter your family; his older brother Reiji. Without his help you won't get anywhere. Omi is also a Takatori, but he's working with Suiichi. Hey... don't look at it in such a ridged manner. You have to be flexible to be in Weiss," Youji whispered. Omi, his uncle, and his aunt were still engaged in warm, bubbly conversation by the door.

"I swore to kill every Takatori," Aya said, narrowing his eyes. "Every Takatori."

"Persia is a high ranking Kritiker agent. You wouldn't even get close. As far as Omi goes, don't even try it. Ken and I will put you down if you so much as give him a cross look," Youji threatened. Youji's expression turned from hostile to jovial. He threw an arm around Aya's shoulders and refilled the redhead's wine glass. "Don't take life so seriously. Besides, Omi and Suiichi do have one very charming Takatori family tradition they've shared with us. A fine tradition we hope you'll embrace.

"What's that?" Aya asked dryly. Youji just smiled and pulled Aya with him to greet Persia and Manx.

"Well, Aya. My nephew tells me you've been doing such a great job in Weiss," Persia said after they exchanged formal greetings.

"Thank you," Aya said, watching Youji ply wine on Manx and Persia.

"Thanks, Youji. By the way, I heard about that mission last week," Persia said. "You need to be more careful about fire."

"I know. I apologize about that. It won't happen again," Youji said with a apologetic grin.

"Accidents happen, I understand. Just be more careful," Persia said and gave Youji a smile.

"Of course," Youji said.

"Who's ready for dinner?" Ken called out. He walked from the kitchen carrying two bowls of mixed vegetables.

"I'm starving," Persia said. "It smells wonderful."

"It's a new recipe, Uncle. You'll love it," Omi insisted.

"Come and sit, Aya. You're the guest of honor tonight," Ken said, waving his hand to a chair. Aya took his seat while Omi went to the kitchen. Aya watched as Youji, Ken, Persia, and Manx seated themselves around the formal table. Small talk broke out among the other four at the table, but Aya found himself chewing lightly on his lower lip. He quickly gulped down another glass of wine when all eyes were off of him.

"Here it is," Omi called out sweetly as he brought out a silver tray with a large slab of steaming meat on it. Omi placed the tray in the center of the table and carved a slice off the end. He took the hank of meat and laid it on Aya's plate. Aya's eyes darted around the table. The others all looked at Aya expectantly with warm, encouraging smiles.

"You're supposed to taste it," Ken said.

"I'm not hungry," Aya mumbled. The pungent odor caused his stomach to rebel.

"But just one taste," Omi insisted. "Would you like some vegetables with it?"

"No. Nothing," Aya said. "I just need to go lay down."

"Sure," Omi said with a disappointed look. "We'll save your plate."

Aya jumped out of his chair and ran to his room. He slammed the door as three glasses of wine on his empty stomach hit his head. He stumbled to the bathroom he shared with Ken and vomited the wine into the sink. Aya's mind went blank after he sank to the cool, white tiles.

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

This is the Happy House, part two

November 18, 2008

"I told you not to give him so much wine," Omi's voice floated somewhere close to Aya's ear.

"I was just trying to loosen him up. I thought Crashers were big drinkers," Youji's voice replied with aplomb. A cool cloth was pressed to Aya's face.

"Not on an empty stomach. Poor thing… he was so close to joining us," Omi said.

"Shush. He's coming around," Ken said. Aya cautiously opened his eyes. He was still lying on the tile floor of the bathroom. The lights were dimmed, but he noticed his three teammates hovering above him. Each looked at him with concern and something Aya perceived as pity.

"What happened?" Aya asked.

"You had too much to drink on an empty stomach. I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't have given you so much," Youji said. Aya felt hands gently pulled him up. He got on his feet, but he was supported between Ken and Youji. They guided him to his bed that Omi turned down.

"You have to be famished. I'll fix you a sandwich," Omi said and left. Aya took off his coat and shoes.

"Are they gone," Aya asked.

"Persia and Manx? Left fifteen minutes ago. They were concerned about you," Youji said.

"Do you want something to sleep in or some water," Ken asked. Aya shook his head.

"I'll be fine. I just want to…" Aya started, but was interrupted by Omi.

"Here. You need to eat all of this," Omi said, sitting a sandwich on Aya's nightstand along with a tall, cool glass of milk. Aya shivered as he studied the pile of sliced meat in between two pieces of rye bread.

"What kind of sandwich is that," Aya asked.

"Just some leftovers from tonight's dinner. It'll make you feel so much better once you get something on your stomach," Omi said. Aya nodded, but made no move to touch the sandwich.

"I want to lay down for a few minutes," Aya said.

"Okay, but make sure you eat," Omi insisted. His three teammates left and turned down the lights. Aya laid back on his stiff bed and stared at the ceiling for several long minutes. His eyes turned back to the sandwich.

He jumped out of his bed, grabbed the plate with the sandwich, and opened his window. He quickly flung it out into the alleyway and sunk back into his bed. His eyes eventually drooped shut and he drifted into a restless half-sleep.

* * *

Aya walked downstairs to the delicatessen and put his apron on. Omi was just getting in from school, while Ken and Youji were wiping the counters down.

"Hey, Aya. You're still looking kind of sick," Youji said. "You want me to work your shift?"

"No!" Aya said, glaring at Youji. He took his place behind the counter and started to restock supplies.

"Touchy," Youji sang out. "Well, I'm off."

"Me too," Ken said. Aya didn't spare them a second glance as he grabbed the broom from a corner.

"Aya? Are you fine?" Omi asked, joining him behind the counter. Aya shot him a dirty look and continued to sweep.

"Then I won't bother to ask you about this," Omi said, sitting a piece of a chipped plate on the counter. "I found it under your window last night with your uneaten sandwich. Just to let you know, we are never reckless with meat around here. We can't afford to be so careless because tossed out meat will draw a multitude of pests we definitely don't want hanging around this place. Do you know what I mean, Aya?" Omi asked in an uncanny, placid voice.

Aya turned to see the teenager's wide, sky-blue eyes were narrow and cool. Aya nodded. Omi said, "Good. I'm glad you understand." Then Omi's face turned bright and cheery. "You know I think you're loosing too much weight, Aya. You really need to start eating more. Youji is making a meat stew tonight. I hope you see fit to eat it."

Aya continued to sweep, his hands had a white-knuckled grip on the broom. The bell above the door rang. A young girl Aya knew was related to Omi, a half-sister or a cousin, came walking in. Ouka was her name.

"Hello, Omi. Mother sent me to see if you have any of the 'House Special'?" she asked, handing Omi a canvas bag.

"Sure! We have about 300 pounds left. I gave some to Uncle and Aunt last night," Omi said. "How much would you like?"

"Oh… you know… just ten pounds for me and mother tonight," Ouka said, giving Omi a wide smile.

Aya glanced out of the corner of his eye to watch Omi as he unlocked the freezer. The teenager slipped in with a glance at Aya. Minutes later he came back, locked the freezer with the key around his neck, and handed Ouka her canvas bag. Aya saw the package sticking out was wrapped in regular, white butcher's paper.

"Thanks, I'll see you later," Ouka called out and left with her bag over her left arm.

"What is the 'House Special' anyway?" Aya asked. Omi seemed startled the redhead had managed to sneak up behind him.

"The House Special?" Omi asked.

"Yeah, is pork or beef? What was in that package and does she run some sort of tab? I've never seen her or her mother pay for anything? I just want to know everything about this store," Aya said.

"You don't really want to know everything about this store. I can tell. You just tell yourself you do. Otherwise, you would have been more relaxed last night. Aya, I really think your mind is playing some sort of trick on you," Omi said, giving Aya a look of pity. His blue eyes darted around to see if they were in alone.

Omi then leaned forwards and said in a low tone, "Ken acted a lot like you when he first got here. His guilt made him think all sorts of outrageous things, but once he let go of his guilt and embraced this way of life he was fine."

"So you're accusing me of going crazy," Aya sneered, flinching back.

"Aya, always remember Occam's Razor. The simplest explanation is always the truth. So if your mind is telling you something that seems outrageous, ask yourself if it could possible be true," Omi said.

Aya only nodded and continued work without giving Omi another glance. It was obvious to Aya that Omi was trying hard to convince him he was getting some sort of stress disorder.

Aya knew he became off kilter when he saw his beloved parents slaughtered and his sister ran down in the street, but he always made sure there was a little corner in his mind firmly anchored down for Aya-chan's sake. Without him, she had no support.

Shion had spent their first three months together making sure Aya had a rational corner of his mind, that he was sane and that nothing could sake it apart. Aya knew he wasn't suddenly suffering from stress; the people they killed were of no consequence to him. Just criminals who hurt innocent people.

"Aya, time to close," Omi called out. Aya nodded and started to help Omi break down the meat slicing equipment.

"I hope you aren't offended by what I said earlier. I'm just concerned. You've been here for almost three weeks and we've all grown to like you. We all just want to see you fit in and be happy here," Omi said. Aya nodded and picked a large butcher knife stained with vermilion.

"I don't know what the truth is, but I think I'm getting to know what the simplest explanation for Weiss is," Aya said. He plunged the knife into a cutting board and said, "I'm going to visit my sister. Would you mind finishing up?"

"Not at all. Have a nice time," Omi said, flashing Aya a bright smile.

* * *

Aya looked over at his sister and sat in a chair beside her bed. His hand went to touch her cool, lax hand. He squeezed it gently and shook his head. The burden of vengeance would be so much easier to carry with her awake and by his side.

Then again, he had done things he knew would cause her to be ashamed of him. Part of him was afraid she'd wake up and never want to be a part of his life again because of all the dark deeds that clung to his soul.

He shook off these thoughts. He would have to be honest with her and hoped she understood that revenge was the only thing he had. It was the only thing that kept him from drifting off into an irrational state.

His fingers slid off her cool, lax hand. He took a pad and pencil from the nightstand beside her hospital bed. A soft patter of rain crowded in over the constantly beeping machines as he put the graphite tip to paper.

_My Dearest, Aya-chan, _

_I'm writing this letter because things in my life have suddenly become uncertain. For the past two years I've sought revenge against the man who destroyed our family. My journey has lead me to do things I know would cause you pain. I'm capable of so many wicked things I know you would be ashamed of. _

_The reason I'm writing this is because three weeks ago I think I made a fatal mistake. I found an opportunity to get closer to killing Reiji Takatori. I took the opportunity by joining a group called Weiss. Since then I've been surround with this oppressive sensation of evil. _

_My teammates are doing something. I don't know what that something is, but I know it's malevolent. Now they're trying to convince me to join them in every way. _

_Part of me is afraid of what they'll do to me if I reject them. It's their tainted and evil ways, not death, I fear from them. And there is also a part of me that's tired from this two years of struggling, fighting, and pain. There's a part of me that's afraid they'll wear me down. I'm afraid I'm capable of more evil than I've ever imagined. _

_Please try to understand that my broken heart can't take much more. I'm so very tired and I miss you so very much. Just remember, I've always done the best I could. I've made all my choices to make sure you were taken care of. Now I don't know where my choices have lead me. Just remember, I love you very much._

_Your Brother, Ran_

Aya felt odd signing his actual name, he seldom did after two years. He folded the note and tucked it under her pillow with a few others he had left over the past two years. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving.

* * *

Aya entered the apartment. Instantly his stomach roiled at the stench emanating from the kitchen. He looked around to see Omi was setting the table while Ken was planted in front of a television new cast.

"… and there is still no leads on the disappearance of forty-five year old Iro Fukuzawa. Four of his assistants also disappeared in the night in question. The police have found no clues except an inordinate amount of blood in the home gym. They are still looking for any clues as to where the bodies of these five men may be located." Ken burst out laughing over the newscaster's report.

"Shut that off," Aya snapped at Ken, eyes blazing at the ex-soccer player.

"What?" Ken asked, pressing the off button.

"I thought you didn't like killing. Now you think it's some sort of game?" Aya asked.

"No. That's not it. I didn't like having to kill him, but that's not the part I found so funny," Ken said.

"Ken!" Youji snarled, bring out a soup terrine from the kitchen. "Why don't you shut your mouth and get some wine for dinner?"

"Sorry, Youji," Ken said, with a pout. He hopped off the sofa and ran off to fetch a bottle.

"Ken-ken can be a little strange sometimes. He has that sick sense of humor teenage boys have. He hasn't quite outgrown it yet," Youji said to Aya.

"Hey! I resent that!" Omi said, giving Youji a mock look of anger. They both snickered as Youji ladled stew into four bowls.

"No, you definitely have outgrown that teenaged boy phase even being two years younger than Ken," Youji said.

"Now I resent that," Ken said, coming back into the dinning room. He uncorked the wine and gave Youji a smirk. "At least I don't party like a teenager, unlike some certain twenty-three year olds I could name."

"Oh… ha… ha," Youji said dryly. "Aya, soup is on. Come and eat."

Aya walked over to the table in spite of the sickly sweat odor. He took a seat and watched his teammates settle around the table. Ken poured Aya a glass of wine while he studied the bowl of brown gruel in front of him. There were chunks of meat, carrots, and potatoes in the white porcelain bowl.

"Pace yourself," Ken said, flicking his knife at Aya's full wine glass.

"I'm not hungry," Aya said. They all looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You've barely eaten anything since you've been here! Just bread and fruit," Omi said. "You're going to starve to death if you keep this up."

"I just can't eat it. It smells," Aya said. Youji tapped his fork on the edge of Aya's bowl and glared over the top of his sunglasses.

"Eat your meat, and stop this! You work at a delicatessen. It's time you learned to eat meat and quit whining about it!" Youji said with a paternal tone. "Now!"

Aya bolted up and glowered at Youji. He swirled to the hallway and jogged to his bedroom. He slammed his bedroom door and locked it. Aya pressed his ear to the door and could hear some soft conversation down the hall. He couldn't make out the words.

He moved to his bed and slid out a plastic container. He took the top off and jumped up in shock at the now empty container. His store of vegetables and fruit he secretly kept under his bed was gone. A note was left in Ken's handwriting: '_This is for your own good'_.

* * *

Aya forced his lightheaded dizziness aside. His stomach ached with its emptiness. He had worked the whole day with Youji. It had been very hard because Youji had made sure Aya was the one preparing all the sandwiches and food for the customers. At lunch Aya couldn't take it any more.

He made himself a package of oatmeal, but realized that it tasted as if salt had been poured into the bowl. He looked over to Youji who was putting up a huge blue box of salt with a sly grin. Aya scraped the rest of the oatmeal into the trash. He knew he couldn't lose this game.

Ken and Omi finally came in for the afternoon shift. It wasn't but five minutes when Manx showed up with a package under her arm. An assignment. They closed the shop with a sign saying, '_Back in fifteen minutes'_. They then joined Manx in the basement planning room. She showed a videotaped message from Persia.

The orders were to assassinate the head of a candy corporation along with two chemists. The men had designed an addictive drug and were spiking candy bars produced in the factory. The three men planned to get children addicted and then start selling the drug on the street.

They callously continued in spite of the fact that nine children had died from sudden heart failure. What caught Aya's attention was that Masafumi Takatori was funding this operation.

"Whose in?" Manx asked.

"That's horrible! Children need to be protected from these sick jerks! I'm in," Ken said, glaring at the monitor that had pictures of the three men.

"I'm not in," Omi said. "Youji, can you please go with…"

"No. I'll go with Ken," Aya said.

"But, Aya, you should really rest," Omi said.

"It's a Takatori. I'll be there," Aya said.

"Good, Aya. I think you do need this mission. It may help you get some things clear in your head," Omi said. "Youji and I will clean up behind you and Ken."

Aya nodded and turned to go upstairs. Ken followed close behind.

* * *

"Got the factory owner!" Ken shouted and poked his head around the corner where Aya stood with his katana over the two dead chemists. The katana dripped with thick crimson liquid. Aya turned to Ken.

"Did you find Takatori?" Aya asked.

"No. Sorry, but that group of women assassins were with him. They got him out before I could stop him," Ken explained. Aya turned to see Youji and Omi enter. Ken said, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

"Fine," Aya said, following Ken out of the factory. "So are we going to get some Chinese food?"

"Not tonight. I think you need to rest at home. You look as if you're about to collapse," Ken said.

"I'm so hungry," Aya admitted. "I want to go get something."

"I'll fix you some leftovers when we get home," Ken offered.

"Leftover what?" Aya asked.

"Leftovers from Youji's stew," Ken replied. Aya followed Ken down the street trying his best to walk straight and not fall on the ground. It had taken all of his last bit of energy to kill his targets.

* * *

Aya refused the microwaved stew and went to bed. His mind drifted in and out of deep sleep, but was jolted awake at the squeal of a brake. He lifted his head up and peeked outside cautiously into the darkened, back alleyway. It was the dilapidated white meat truck that had an enclosed refrigeration bed.

He watched Youji and Omi remove three, heavy-looking, tarp bundles between them. They moved the bundles one at a time from the back of the meat truck and into the back of the delicatessen. He then saw Ken get a water hose and spray down the enclosed refrigeration bed. Pinkish liquid drizzled down to the brick.

Aya waited until he was certain Ken was back in the delicatessen before he got up and locked his bedroom door. He needed answers. He needed the truth. He got his katana and slipped out of his window. He made his way across the ledge and down the water drain.

His eyes darted around to make sure he wasn't being watched before dropping into the alleyway. Adrenaline spurred him towards his car. There was one person who would know the truth, but it would all be too terrible to imagine his sensei deliberately sending him into this situation.

To be continued.


	3. Chapter 3

This is the Happy House, part three

November 19, 2008

Aya pounded on the door of the small room at the back of _The Scarlet Moon_ bar. The door creaked open and Aya saw his sensei for the first time in over a month.

"Aya! What's happened to you?" Shion asked. Aya felt himself fall towards the older man. He didn't resist the arms around his shoulders. Shion's comforting smell of mint and cinnamon filled his nose as Aya fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Aya," Shion called to him. Aya's eyes opened to see Shion hovering above him.

"I made a mistake," Aya whispered. He sat up slowly and looked around. He was in the small back room with only a low table and futon, which he had been laying on.

Shion handed him a cup of mint tea, but Aya's hands shook too much to hold it. Shion took Aya's hands in his own and helped Aya pour the scalding liquid past his chapped lips.

When Aya was finished, Shion put the cup aside. Shion shook his head and asked, "It's Weiss?" Aya nodded. "Tell me what's going on."

"I can't tell you anything except that Weiss is evil," Aya said.

"What have they done," Shion asked. Aya didn't miss the flat tone in his sensei's voice. He had lived with the man for close to two years; he knew when Shion was uncomfortable.

"Nothing I've seen yet, but I bet you have. You knew something about Suiichi Takatori and were trying to keep me from joining Weiss. You never came out and said what was going on because whatever it is, is very evil," Aya accused. "If you respect me and care about me in the least, you'll tell me what it is!"

"I can't," Shion said in the same flat voice. "I do care about your life and I do respect you as a person. I don't respect the path you've chosen. I've given you my knowledge not to waste."

"Is it a waste killing people who thoughtlessly kill others and killed my family? What good is what you've taught me if not to protect loved ones and the weak?" Aya asked, feeling tears brimming in his eyes, tears of hot rage. The man picked up Aya's katana and unsheathed it.

"You've spilled so much blood needlessly with this katana I gave you. It was never meant for that," Shion said. He slipped the katana back into its sheath and set it beside Aya.

"Stop toying with me!" Aya shouted.

"Your temper was always a problem," Shion said. "I will tell you some of what I know. Your group isn't the first Weiss. The first one was a group of older men who were all retired from the defense force. They all died on a mission.'

'That's when Suiichi hired me and three others to work as a Weiss group. Things became confused when he demanded we show him one particular act of loyalty. Suiichi thought it best that we leave when we refused to do the one thing he asked of us. In exchange for our silence, he allowed the four of us to go back to doing work similar to the Crashers.'

'That's when he started fresh. Only this time he used very young men he hoped would be more malleable and show him loyalty. He was successful," Shion said, sitting beside Aya on the futon.

"Why did you send me to him if he was so repulsive?" Aya asked.

"Because you have a blackness in your heart I could never cleanse. You've embraced revenge to the point it's made you hollow. I've taught you everything I can because you obstinately refuse to give up your hate. You wanted to get to Takatori even though I warned you that it would destroy you," Shion said.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth about Weiss?" Aya asked.

"You wouldn't listen to me even if I told you the truth. It's so despicable you would've went anyway and accused me of being insane. You've made your choice, Aya. I can't revoke your choice even though I wish I could. You fought me too hard and too long on leaving. I only pointed you on the path you wanted to take to Takatori. Tell me this. Even if I told you the absolute truth about Weiss, could you honestly tell me you would of stay with me or the Crashers?" Shion said.

"No. I think no matter what you would have told me back then… before I left for Weiss… I still would have gone anyway. My need was to kill Takatori no matter what. I would have said I would pay any price," Aya answered.

"Then why do you want to know the price tag now?" Shion asked.

"Because I feel the sheer blackness now. The price is too steep now that I sense it. I don't know that I can pay it," Aya confessed.

"Aya, I can no longer help you. I warned you, once you left, we would be finished," Shion said. "You need to go back to Weiss and do some long, hard soul searching. You need to decide what the value of your soul is and then you need to act upon that. I've trained you well enough to choose another path and make something new of your life."

"You're sending me back to them?" Aya asked.

"I have no choice. You put me in a bad situation when you left me. I need to protect the other three people in my Weiss group from Suiichi. I'm sorry, but I thought you understood that," Shion said. Aya felt his face flush with anger.

"You started me down this path," Aya spat out, glaring at the man beside him. "You only confused me and took advantage of me! You used me all along and now you've pushed me to a dark sickness!"

"You had no money, no place to live, no food when I took you in! You've done all sorts of vile things no matter how distasteful you found them because it suited your quest to kill Takatori. Now all the sudden you smell fear? What is your commitment to killing Takatori? How far are you willing to take it?" Shion asked. Aya rose on shaky feet.

"Please stop," Aya whispered. Shion stood up and faced him. He gripped Aya's chin in his right hand and forced Aya to look him in his amber eyes.

"You inflict all this pain on yourself hoping it'll cleanse you, but it only drags you deeper. You can't let go of your anger and draw the line to the limits you will go to kill Takatori. It'll be your undoing!" Shion said. He harshly grabbed Aya by the shoulders.

"I don't know what to do. I must kill that man," Aya said numbly.

"Go sort out the mess you've made your life. I hope you make different choices then the ones you've made so far. Cleanse yourself of the darkness in your heart and never come back," Shion said.

Aya nodded. He stooped and picked up his katana. Then he turned and said, "You betrayed me by sending me to Weiss and some perverted sickness I don't know about. I'll never forgive you for that."

"In time, you may. When you do finally understand the truth, you'll see why I needed to protect the other members of my Weiss group from your self-serving, dogged, reckless pursuit to become an avenger. All I can say now is that I hope you remain wary," Shion said and opened the door to the bar's back room. Aya nodded and left in silence.

* * *

"Aya! We thought you were asleep in your room," Omi said as the redhead walked into their apartment above the closed delicatessen. "Uncle and Aunt won't be here for an hour. You should get dressed and be prepared to eat something tonight."

"You know, Omi," Aya said, stalking up to his teammate. He rolled his katana in his right hand as he stared down the slight teenager. It was the first time he had seen Omi unnerved. Aya could only imagined he looked hellish.

"What is it, Aya," Omi asked in a hoarse voice.

"My sensei made me read Shakespeare constantly. One play, _Titus Andronicus_, always stuck in my mind. You know that one, Omi?" Aya asked.

"Yes, I do," Omi whispered back. Aya backed Omi against the formal dinning room table and placed his hands on either side of the teenager's hips. He leaned forward, nose-to-nose, katana still clutched in his right hand.

"I figured you would know that particular play pretty well. It's not so much the vulgarity and wholesale violence that catches my imagination. It's the revenge that Titus engineers. It's the pain he inflicts on those who would toy with his life. Are you someone who would toy with my life, Omi?" Aya asked with a gravely voice.

"I will never toy with your life," Omi whispered, meeting Aya's gaze firmly.

"Hey! There you are, Aya," Youji called out. Aya stood up straight and looked over at the man who was holding fine china. Those emerald eyes darted between Aya and Omi; he wore a suspicious expression. "You okay, Omi?"

"I'm fine, Youji. I think Aya needs to get cleaned up and ready for dinner," Omi insisted. Aya wandered off to his bedroom as Youji and Omi frantically whisper to each other.

He showered, got dressed in a dark suit, and sat on the side of his bed. Time blurred until a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said. He was surprised to see Manx walk in. She walked over and stood in front of his knees.

"I wanted to talk to you before dinner. One of our Kritiker agents found something disturbing. You left this at the hospital. I thought it would be best if you got rid of it," Manx said, holding up the last handwritten note he had left under his sister's pillow.

"That note was between me and my sister. You have no right to it," Aya said, glaring up at her.

"Shion also called me. He says that you have severed your ties with him. That's good. We want you to be dedicated to Weiss," Manx said. She laid the note on his bedside table. "Now, I think it's time you come down to dinner."

"So that's it. You want me to know you control what happens to my sister now. You want me to understand that I have nowhere to go," Aya said.

"Yes, that's true," Manx said. "Stop fighting against Weiss. You can't function like this much longer. Come along."

Aya followed her to the dining room where Youji, Ken, Omi, and Persia all sat around a wedge of steaming, malodorous meat. Aya took his seat in between Manx and Ken.

"Omi said that you've run into some problems lately. I hope you're working them all out," Persia said with no preamble.

"Please try some," Ken whispered over to Aya. He looked down to see his plate already had two thick slices of well cooked meat along with potatoes and asparagus.

"No," he said. "I won't eat."

"Don't be so stubborn," Ken pleaded. "You're walking a thin line."

"I know," Aya said.

"Don't pressure the boy. I think he'll come around soon," Persia said. "You're excused if you find dinner so distasteful. Keep in mind that you're restricted to this apartment until you decide to eat some meat."

Aya rose from the dinner table and walked to his room. He didn't bother shutting the door. What was the point when they watched everything he was doing.

* * *

The next day Aya and Ken worked the morning shift. He was in a daze so Ken managed most of the work. Ken had some mercy on Aya and secretly, wordlessly slipped him a mug of oatmeal in the back room. Aya quickly swallowed it and forced it to stay down.

Finally Youji and Omi came in for the afternoon shift. Aya followed Ken up to the apartment without a word to his other two teammates. Aya sat on the sofa as Ken busied himself with the mail.

Ken started to straighten up the living room as Aya felt his chest tighten to the point that breathing was painful. He couldn't shake his dizziness, nor the numbness in his body. Concentration was a task he wasn't able to do any longer.

"Ken," Aya murmured. The ex-soccer player stopped picking up magazines and walked to the sofa.

"What is, Aya?" he asked.

"I'm hungry," Aya said. Ken's eyebrows shot up.

"Do you mean you want to eat?" Ken asked in a low, excited voice.

"Yes. I'll eat," Aya murmured, feeling a calm sensation flow over his tense shoulders in spite of the flutter in the pit of his abdomen.

"Just stay there! I'll make you something. Don't move a muscle," Ken said and scrambled to the kitchen. Aya listened to the microwave. Ken reappeared with a warm plate of food, the same one Aya had rejected last night.

Ken put the plate on the coffee table along with silverware and a glass of milk. Ken said, "Youji and Omi will be so thrilled to hear you've stopped fighting us. Once you finish this plate of food, you'll feel as though there is nothing you can't do. Nothing will be beyond your reach."

"I've never felt so tired in my life," Aya said. Ken knelt down across the coffee table and looked at Aya.

"I promise you can go to bed after you eat," Ken said. "Take your time, Aya. I know this has been so hard on you, but trust me when I say it's all been for your own good."

Aya picked up his fork and knife. He cut a small piece off the hank of warmed meat. He brought the piece up and looked at it. The pungent odor filled his nose and sent a powerful surge of anger through his body. His hands quickly shoved the plate, fork, and glass of milk at Ken.

Aya jumped up not looking at Ken who was stunned and sprawled on the living room carpet with the meal all over his chest.

"Aya! Come back here!" Ken shouted at him. Aya flew down the stairs to the delicatessen. Only Omi and Youji were in the shop. Omi's back was to Aya, but Youji saw Aya charging towards them.

Surprise was all over the ex-detective's face as Aya's fists came down hard on the back of Omi's neck. Aya quickly planted a knee in Youji's stomach and shoved him down beside Omi.

Aya swiftly grabbed the key from around Omi's neck and yanked. He heard Ken racing after him. Aya ran behind the counter and fitted the key into the lock of the small freezer. He turned the key when Ken hit the floor of the delicatessen.

"Omi! Youji!" Ken shouted out and halted his pursuit. Aya looked over his shoulder to see Ken was too involved with reviving Omi and Youji. Aya plunged into the dark freezer and locked the door behind him. He leaned on the door in the inky blackness.

"Quick! Youji, close the store," Aya heard Omi order through the door. "Ken, what happened?"

Aya felt his fingertips reach for the light switch beside the door. There was no more turning from the truth. Aya clicked the light on and sunk to the icy floor. His eyes drifted to the torsos of the two chemists hanging upside down from meat hooks. Their faces were stuck in the same horrific grimace Aya had seen right after he killed them with his katana.

On a metal table in the center of the room was the head of the business manger Ken assassinated. There was no body, nothing left. Just packages of white butcher's paper resting next to the head. Dry heaves racked Aya as he jerked his eyes away.

Aya wrapped his arms around his chest as hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He rose to his feet as he heard the door open. His three teammates came in and shut the door behind them. Youji and Omi were still wearing their white aprons with rust colored smudges on them.

Ken was carrying a small plastic container in one hand and a large butcher's knife in the other. Aya noticed Youji was also carrying a butcher's knife as well while Omi had a large meat hook.

"I think it's time we have a conversation, Aya," Omi said in a dower tone.

"This is it. This is how deep it goes. The three of you are cannibals," Aya said through gritted teeth.

"Ew," Youjii said with a puckered expression. "That word has such a ugly connotation. Think of it as creatively disposing of incriminating evidence."

"You three are sick! How could you do this? Omi, I figured your uncle made you do it, but you two shouldn't have done it! I mean all the women and children you two hang around! How many of them have disappeared," Aya asked.

"How dare you! I would never harm any of the children I coach! We only eat criminals we've assassinated. We don't go around killing people to eat," Ken said, anger flashing in his eyes.

"You'd just sell it to them as beef!" Aya accused. Ken flinched back looking shocked.

"Never! I would never give any of my children this meat," Ken said, getting angry all over again.

"Aya, we keep this to ourselves. Only Manx, Persia, and Ouka know and partake in what we do," Omi explained.

"You're all sick and perverted," Aya said, backing to the table with the butchered corpse of the businessman-turned-drug-dealer.

"I can see there is no talking to you about this rationally, so we'll just put it to you," Omi said. "You have two choices. You can either join Weiss in totality or you can join these men."

Aya watched Ken place the small plastic container on the butchering table. Inside was a piece of meat from the plate he had flung at Ken. A butcher's knife was placed beside the plastic container.

"So this is it? Join you or commit seppuku?" Aya asked. Ken nodded, his lips pressed together, his eyes were full of hope. Ken back away from Aya and joined Youji and Omi. The other two Weiss members looked on grimly.

"Aya, we really want you to join us. We've all grown to like you very much, but you have to eat your share of the targets we kill," Omi said.

"My first time was gruesome, but you do grow to love it," Youji said, pushing his sunglasses up to the bridge of his nose. "Pretty soon, you won't even worry about it."

Aya's mind went blank as he started intently at his two choices. Darkness clouded the edge of his vision as his heart furiously pounded.

* * *

Aya looked over to Ken who was crouched over one of their targets. Aya walked over and tugged Ken up by his shoulder. The ex-soccer player had a baffled expression under a little blood splatter.

"You've got some on you," Aya said.

"Thanks, Aya," Ken said wiping his cheek with the sleeve of his jacket.

"Hey, Aya! Couldn't you have gotten that guy by the throat? It'll be tough to carve him up into anything but stew," Youji said. Aya turned one of the targets over with his boot.

"I like stew. He'll be better then those government blackmailers we had last week. To much fat on them. Too old and stringy," Aya said.

"Yeah. No more government blackmailers. I think they gave me indigestion," Ken said slyly and then gave a small chuckle.

"Ken! Remember... beggars can't be choosers," Omi said. "Why don't you two get back to the delicatessen and get the cooler ready?"

"Alright, alright," Ken agreed. Aya lead Ken towards a dark stairwell.

"And clean out that old drug-dealer. He's been around too long," Youji called out after them.

"They sure no how to ruin a good time," Ken groused before getting into Aya's car.

"Don't worry. We'll go home and get a little something to eat before we get to work. How about that leftover meat stew you made last night?"

"Just what was on my mind," Ken said with a bright smile.

End.

* * *

Notes: I got this idea from two movies: _Parents_ and _Delicatessen_. Both movies are very twisted and dark. Also, _Sweeny Todd_ influenced my decision to write this twisted mess. I've never dabbled in horror even though I'm a huge fan of zombie movies; so please be a bit forgiving.

The following are three alternative endings. I put my favorite on the story, but like _28 Days Later_ here are some other possibilities. Just imagine going back each time to Aya being confronted in the freezer.

Alternative One (I liked this one too, but pretty sick)

"Ken, come on. He made his choice," Youji said. Sitting next to Ken on the sofa. "This life isn't for everyone."

"I know, but I miss him," Ken said. "Why did he have to be so damn stubborn?"

"I don't know. Listen, you should eat something," Youji said. "You know, Aya sure did make a great meal. I bet his leftovers are just as good."

"Don't joke about it," Ken groused and glared at the playboy. "Where did you put him?"

"In the blue container behind the pineapple," Youji said. "Can you bring me some too?"

"Sure," Ken answered and trudged to the kitchen.

End.

Alternative Two (I wasn't fond of this one, but I felt obliged to write it)

Aya picked up the knife and held the tip to his stomach. He slowly walked forward. When he was close enough he lashed out and grabbed Omi. He swirled Omi around and held the knife to Omi's throat. He made Youji and Ken back off. Aya moved to the door and opened it with his free hand. He quickly shoved Omi back in the freezer and locked the door back. He shoved a heavy metal table in front of the door to the cooler.

His eyes darted around and found cleaning liquids. He tossed them liberally around the delicatessen as muffled pleading came from the cooler. He ran upstairs and got his katana and ran back down to the closed store. He found Youji's lighter beside the register along with a half-empty pack of cigarettes. He flicked it and let it fall, flaming, from his fingertips. He walked to the front door, unlocked it, and walked outside to the fresh air and sunlight.

End.

Alternative Three (My husband's suggestion)

"Hey, Aya" Omi asked. Aya stretched as he rose from the sofa.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"How about a snack? I'm hungry," Omi asked.

"Sounds good," Aya said. They both walked to the kitchen. Omi opened the refrigerator. The shelf labeled 'Aya's food' was heaped with vegetables and fruit. The other shelves all had containers, some were labeled 'House Special', some were labeled 'pork' or 'beef'.

"You know, I'm glad we came to this compromise last month. It would have been a shame to lose such a great assassin," Omi said, flashing a smile at Aya. He handed the redhead a bag of carrots.

"Sorry I just can't help you out with your creative disposal of incriminating evidence," Aya said, unsealing his bag. Omi unsealed a container labeled 'House Special'.

"Well, Ken did point out it was just more for us," Omi said.

End.


End file.
